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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. pit — a hole
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. spring — the season
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — of a river
  7. saw — the tool
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. spring — a coil
  10. bank — for money
  11. spring — of water
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pit — in a race
  14. saw — the tool
  15. tear — from crying
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. tear — from crying
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. tear — to rip
  21. staff — a stick
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pass — a permit
  24. staff — employees

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com